Teledyne CCD370 sensors on SMILE mission

Teledyne Space Imaging has provided two CCD370 imaging sensors for the Soft X-ray Imager on ESA’s SMILE mission, which recently launched from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. The company revealed that these sensors are integral to the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer, a collaborative European-Chinese scientific endeavor aimed at investigating the interaction between the solar wind and Earth’s magnetic environment.

The Teledyne CCD370 sensors play a crucial role in SMILE’s Soft X-ray Imager, which is designed to capture soft X-ray emissions resulting from the interaction of solar wind particles with Earth’s magnetic field. These sensors are capable of observing photons with energies ranging from 0.2 keV to 2.0 keV, enabling scientists to explore the boundary regions where the solar wind meets the magnetosphere.

SMILE Mission Launch

SMILE was successfully launched aboard a Vega-C rocket at 04:52 BST on 19 May 2026. The mission is equipped with four scientific instruments dedicated to studying how Earth responds to solar wind, with the ultimate goal of enhancing our understanding of solar storms, geomagnetic storms, and space weather phenomena.

Significance of Soft X-ray Imaging

Space weather disturbances triggered by solar activity can have far-reaching implications beyond the realm of science. These disturbances have the potential to impact satellites, radio communications, navigation systems, and power infrastructure. As highlighted in a previous eeNews Europe article titled "Solar storm hits GNSS systems," geomagnetic activity can lead to practical consequences for various technological services on Earth.

The Soft X-ray Imager is anticipated to provide researchers with a novel means of observing large-scale structures within the magnetosphere, offering a broader perspective compared to localized measurements obtained from spacecraft traversing those regions. This enhanced observational capability is expected to facilitate the development of more accurate models depicting how energy and particles from the Sun interact with near-Earth space.

Teledyne CCD370 Sensors from the UK

Teledyne disclosed that the design, manufacturing, testing, and qualification of the CCD detectors were conducted at Teledyne Space Imaging’s facility in Chelmsford, England. The company is recognized as a leading supplier of space-qualified imaging sensors, focal plane arrays, and integrated camera systems, boasting a rich heritage spanning over 250 space projects.

According to ESA’s SMILE factsheet, the spacecraft’s orbit will extend up to 121,000 km from Earth above the North Pole and descend to approximately 5,000 km above the South Pole for data retrieval. The SMILE mission represents a collaborative initiative between ESA and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, with the payload module and Soft X-ray Imager being developed and procured through ESA.